Walsall beat struggling Newport in six-goal thriller

League Two leaders Walsall beat bottom club Newport 4-2 in a thriller at Rodney Parade.

County took a shock 16th-minute lead through Kai Whitmore but they trailed three minutes later after Daniel Kanu and Ryan Finnigan struck.

Finnigan added a second and Rico Browne completed the scoring in the 52nd minute after Gerard Garner had pulled one back late on in an action-packed first half.

After Aaron Pressley volleyed over from close range in the opening minute and Garner headed off the line to deny Courtney Clarke, the hosts opened the scoring when Whitmore fired into the top corner after being teed up by Garner.

But the table-toppers were level within a minute when Kanu buried the rebound after Charlie Lakin’s shot came back off a post.

And they led two minutes later when Jordan Wright denied Kanu but Finnigan fired in through a host of legs.

Finnigan bundled in his second the far post in the 37th minute but Garner gave County hope when he found the bottom corner one minute before the break.

But the visitors made sure of the points when Evan Weir’s free-kick from the left was diverted in by Browne.